Oil-supply-indicating device for automobile engines



Patented Feb. 9, 1926.

ALFRED CALI XTE RIOUX, OF CLARESHOLM, ALBERTA, CANADA. V

OIL-SUPPLY-INDICATING DEVICE FOR AUTOMOBILE ENGINES.

Application filed February 16, 1924. Serial No. 693,355.

' Canada, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inOil-Supply-Indicating Devices for Automobile Engines, of which thefollowing is the specification.

My invention relates to improvements in oil supply indicating devicesfor automobile engines, and the object of the invention is to providemeans for preventing damage to the engine of an automobile caused byruin ning such engine with insufficient oil supply, and it consistsessentially of the arrangement and construction of parts hereinaftermore particularly explained.

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of an automobile engine and coil box showingmy device applied thereto, part of the engine casing being broken awayto exhibit the position and construction of my device.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged perspective detail of my device.

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view through Fig. 2.

In the drawings like characters of reference indicate correspondingparts in each figure.

1 indicates an automobile engine of any ordinary construction in whichare located in the usual position time gears 2 and 3.

4 is the fly wheel of the engine rotating in the oil well 5 in theusualmanncr so as to throw up oil, which is received at a funncl end 6of the lubricating pipe 7 which feeds the oil downward to the gearing 2and 3, such oil returning in the usual manner back to the oil well.

7* is a 1nagncto,8 the magneto contact.

0 is the usual opening which is formed in the engine casing and providedwith the usual cover plate 10, the opening being located above the brakebands, and through which such brake bands are adjusted.

11 is a coil box' provided with a magneto terminal 12. Usually themagneto-terminal 12 isconnected by a wire to the magneto contact 8. Thiswire is divided into two portions, as indicated at 13 and 14, the outer-The opposite ends of the wires 18. and 14 are connected to the contactsof a switch which I will now describe.

15 is a plate upon which my switchis supported, such plate beinginterposed between the cover plate 10and the flange 9? extending roundthe orifice 9, the plate 15 being provided with holes 16 through whichthe usual securing bolts 17 of the cover plate 10 pass, so as to securethe plate 15 in position. i

18 and 19 are bearing pieces provided with orifices 20 in which isjournalled the reduced ends 21 of a rocking shaft 22.

23 is a drip pan having an inclined bot-v tom 24 inclining downward. Theupper end of the drip pan is secured to the rocking shaft 22, asindicatedclearly in Fig. 3.

Adjacent the lower end of the located a perforation 25.

.26 Ban arm secured to the bottom of the bottom 24 is drip pan extendingrearwardthcrefrom from its point of swing and carrvlng acounter-balancing weight 27. f

28 is a curved rod pivotally secured to a bracket 29 secured to thebottom 24 of the drip pan 23.

The lower portion of the rod 28 is preferably arched so as to beconcentric with the centre of swing of the drip pan.

The upper end of the rod 28 extends through an orifice 30 formed in theplate 15 and through an insulated block 31. 32 is a contact fingersecured to 28 in proximity to its upper end.

The free end pf the were 14. is connected the rod I 38 is a deflectingplate secured-to theplate 10 and depending therefrom over the drippan 23for a inafter appear. v

- Having described the principalparts involved in my invention will nowbrioflv describe the operation of the some.

purpose whiche'will here- .As the fly wheel 4 revolvesit throwsup theoil in the usual manner, which oil is caught by the funnel shaped end 6ot the oil feed tube 7 and conveyed to the gears and 3 according to thecommon practice.

A certain amount of this oil which is caught up in this Way is alsocaught by the plate 38 and drips downward into the drip pan 23. Theperforation 25 is of such a size as to cause the pan to retain some ofthe oil dripped thereinto. The Weight of such oil in the an 23 issufficient to counterbalance the weight of the counter-weight 27,causing the pan 23 to tilt downward and carrying the contact finger 32into engagement with the finger 35, thereby closing the ignitioncircuit.

During the running of the gear, and when the engine is supplied With anormal amount of oil, the amount thrown up by the fly wheel issufiicient to hold the contact fingers 32 and 85in engagement.

Whenrhowever the supply of oil begins to run low, sufficient is notthrown. up to maintain this quantity in the drip pan 23 when suchquantity is constantly being rcduced by the oil dripping through theperforation 25.

When the amountot oil passingthrough a the'perfora-ti on 25 is greaterthan the amount ofi oil which is thrown into the drip pan 23, the weightof the drip pan is lessened, and

consequently the counter-weight 27 raises informing the drip pan,carrying the finger 32 out, of engagement With the finger 35 and therehybreaking the ignition circuit, immediately the driver that he is runningout ofoil.

a When using my device, it is advisable that the driver take with himanemergency supply of oil, so that should his supply run out, and theignition circuit he ill'OliCll so as to prcvcnt the running oi the var,he can immediately supply the oil well will]. sul'licient oil to enablehim to proceed.

Although I have shown my device as rounectcd With the ignition circuitoperating to open and ClOSG, other indicating devices i'night beemployed such as a small lamp,

the circuit or which is opened and closed by contacts such as 0.4 and 85so that innnediately the supply of oil runs long the lamp will he litand thereby indicate to the driver such condition.

What I claim as my invention is:

In an auton'iohilc engine, the combination with the transmission casinghaving the usual openings set-in an incline and a cover for suchopening, of a pan adapted to receive the oil thrown up by the fly-Wheeland having on orifice in the bottom thereof through which such receivedoil is adapted to leak, and a counter-Weight lever secured to the pan"forming with the pan generally an obtuse angle, a pivot mounting forthe pan carried by the cover adjacent the apex of the aforesaid angle.an are shaped rod piitotally mounted at its lower end to the pan bottomWithin the pan and extending outward freely through the cover andinsulated therefrom, a contact finger carried by the outer end of the.rod, and a stationary contact carried by the cover andinsulatedt-heretrom, such contact finger forming the terminals ofan'ignition circuit, such contacts being held in engagement by theWeight of the oil Within the pan and adapted to break contacts as theoil leaks out of the pan through the aforesaid orifice.

ALFRED OALIXTE RIOUX.

